Canopy-top for vehicles.



ai. REID. CANOPY TOP FOB VEIIGL'JEISs APPLICATION I'ILISI) OGT.28, 1908.

g ,274@ Patented Nov. 23, w09.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOI-IN REID, OF CHILDRESS, TEXAS.

CANOPY-TOP FOR VEHICLES.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Jol-IN REID, a citizen of the United States,residing at Childress, in the county of Childress and State of Texas,have invented new and useful lfmprovements in Canopy-Tops for Vehicles,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in canopy tops forvehicles and more particularlyl to a canopy top mounted for adjustmentat any desired angle for the purpose of obtaining a better shadingeffect and also for compensating for variations in the direction of thewind, in order that the area of resistance offered to the wind may bereduced to a minimum.

The invention aims primarily to provide a novel frame construction whichshall be exceedingly light and at the same time of great strength.-Toward this end the canopy frame proper' is ,constructed of wood, and anumber of radial tie rods adjustably connected to a central couplingmember, are employed, the tie rods not only reinforcing the frame butalso preventing distortion thereof by reason of warping or from othercauses.

A further novel feature of the invention resides in the detailconstruction of the central coupling member and in the combinationtherewith of novel means for clamping the same to the canopy staff, theclamping means being so constructed as to permit the coupling member tobe turned on its axis to desired positions, in effecting the positioningof the canopy frame. The said clamping means is articulately engagedwith t-he coupling member and is constructed to hold the latterimmovable from any position to which it may be set.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, Ihave shown in detail a simple and preferred embodiment of the invention,the construction of which will appear in the course of the followingdescription, while the novelty of the invention will be included in theclaims succeeding said description.

Referring to the drawings: Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view ofthe canopy frame and its appurtenant elements including the couplingmember and the clamping means. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof.Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the coupling member. Fig. 4: is adetail per- Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 28, 1908.

Patented Nov. 23, 1909. serial No. 459,918.

spective view of the clamping means, the elements thereof beingseparated but having the natural disposition of their assemblage. Fig. 5is a fragmentary transverse section through one of the members of thecruciform supporting frame showing the cross sectional formationthereof, the other member of said frame being similarly formed.

The skeleton framework of the improved canopy top is comprisedessentially of a rim l which, for the purpose of display and ofconvenience, is preferably of oval form. The rim l supports a cruciformskeleton frame comprised of a longitudinal bar 2 and a transverse bar 3,the bars 2 and 3 being articulated in a well known manner at theirintersecting central portions and having their end portions rabbeted asat 4 for engagement with the similarly formed inner face of the rim l.Between the members 2 and 3 radially disposed frame bars 5 are arranged,which bars 5 are connected to the rim l and to the central intersectingportions of the members 2 and 3'. The latter are curved downwardly oneach side from their centers and are constructed with projecting ledges6, as shown more particularly in Fig. 5. The ledges 6 together with aledge 7, aorded by the rabbeted formation of the rim 1, constitute seatsfor transversely disposed members S which are arranged on each side ofthe frame bar 2 and extend parallel with the frame bar 3. The members 8,together with the frame bars 2 and 3 make up the body of the canopy top.Said mem'- bers 8 are curved in the direction of their longitudinal axesand present as a series a convex upper surface. The edges of the outerends of the members 8 are curved in conformity to the portions of therim l upon which they seat. The. members S are held in position,preferably by nails or other suitable fastening means.

A stem 9 having a threaded lower end portion, passes centrally throughthe members 2 and 3 at a point coincident with 'their central point ofintersection. A coupling member l0 has a threaded engagement upon thelower end portion of the stem 9 and is held in proper relation to thecanopy frame by a spacing sleeve 1l which surrounds the stem 9. Themember l0 is generally of cylindrical form and at its upper end isprovided with an upstanding annular flange 12 which is spaced from thesleeve 11. At its lower end an enlarged annularhead 13 is provided. Theflange 12 is provided with a number of equidistant apertures throughwhich extend the threaded inner end por` tions of radially disposedreinforcing and tie rods 14. The inner ends of the tie rods 14 arepreferably held by nuts 15 which are confined within the fiange 12 andbear against the inner face thereof. The outer ends of the tie rods 14are enlarged and flattened and in the form of eyes as at 16, securingscrews or other fastenings 17 being engaged through the eyes 16. It ispreferred to secure arcuate attaching blocks 18 to the rim 1 at the endsof said rim which are farthest distant from one another, that is, at theends to which the member 2 is connected. The tie rods 14 which extendtoward the remote ends of the rim 1 are secured to the blocks 18. Theblocks 18 are employed for the purpose of affording a strongerconstruction and of allowing for greater adjustment of the tie rodssecured thereto, when it is desired to increase the tension of said tierods. A cover 19, preferably of fabric well known in the art, is securedto the under face of the canopy top by ornamental tacks 20, and anornamental covering 21 is held upon the upper face of the canopy top,the edge portion of the covering 21 as well as the edge portion of thecovering 19 being bound to the rim 1 by the fastenings 17 which hold theends of the tie rods 14. The canopy top thus constructed is supportedfrom a suitable bent standard 22, a clamping device designated generally23, being employed to connect the canopy top to said standard, whichdevice 23 is used in cooperation with the member 10. The body portion ofthe clamping device 23 is in the form of a split socket composed of twocounterpart members 24. rIhe latter are each constructed with recesses25 and 2G and with threaded end portions 27. In the assembled relationof the members 24 the recesses 25 together form a complete cylindricalbore in which the end of the standard 22 is received.

The recesses 26 have a narrow neck and an enlarged central portion andtogether form a circular cavity in which the head 13 of the stem 9 isreceived. The said head in its engaged relation in the recesses 26 is,in effect, a swivel joint means to permit of the member 10 being turnedon its axis in effecting a pivotal adjustment of the canopy top. The endportions of the member 24 which surround the end of the standard 22, areheld in assembled relation by a sleeve 28 through which a set sciew 29is engaged, the screw 29 bearing frictionally against one of the members24. Each of the threaded end portions 27 is seini-cylindrical so thatwhen said end portions are juxtaposed they, together, constitute acylindrical plug and are held in this relation by a threaded couplingcap 30. The threaded plug constituted by the end portions 27, preferablyhas a very slight taper in order that when the cap 30 is turned thereon,the members 24 may be caused to bind frictionally upon the head 13 andto consequently hold the member 10 against rotation from any position towhich it may be set. IVhile the bearing action of the screw 29 isordinarily suiiicient to hold the canopy top against displacement, it isat the same time preferable to provide positive means for accomplishingthis action in case the screw 29 should work loose, and accordingly thestandard 22 is provided near its end with an upwardly projecting pin 22awhich engages in alining recesses 24a in the members 24. By virtue ofsuch engagement the canopy is held against displacement from thestandard under the circumstances noted. rI`he recesses 24L are ofsufficient length to permit of a necessary range of pivotal adjustmentof the canopy top.

The canopy top is movable pivotally in a horizontal plane with the stem10 as a vertical axis. Said top is also capable of angular adjustmentabout the axis of the clamping device. In obtaining such angularadjustments the screw 29 is disengaged from the clamping device in orderthat the latter may be freely movable about the end of the standard 22.Then such movement has been made as far as desired, the screw 29 istightened upon the clamping device to hold the canopy top againstdisplacement.

In order that further adjustments of the canopy top may be had, it ispreferred to make the standard 22 in connected relatively and angularlyadjustable sections. Inasmuch as this construction is well known in theart and does not form a part ofthe present invention, I have not thoughtit necessary to illustrate the same, the passing mention thereof beingdeemed suicient.

The canopy top may be removed from its standard whenever desired, bydisassembling the clamping means.

The various elements which enter into the formation of the canopy topmay be dismantled when desired for the purpose of making substitutionsor repairs. In disas.- seinbling the parts the tie rods 14 are freedfrom the rim 1 and the stem 9 is turned out of engagement with thecoupling member 10. For the purpose of turning the stem 9, a ring 31affording a hand grip is carried on the projecting upper end portionthereof. This latter is constructed with a bearing head 32.

Inasmuch as the framework and body parts of the canopy top areconstructed of wood, a very light structure is produced. TheV tie rods14 are themselves light and add no material weight to the structure. Theprovision of said tie rods assures of com pactness, rigidity andstrength.

Having fully described my invention, I claim:

l. In a canopy top for vehicles, a canopy frame having a couplingmember, a supporting standard, a pair of counterpart clamping members,each having a pair of recesses, the recesses of one member registeringWith the corresponding recesses of the other member, the standardprojecting into one pair of recesses and the coupling member projectinginto the other pair of recesses, a clamping ring surrounding the innerends of the members, a screw threaded through the ring and engaging theadjacent member, and a clamping nut surrounding the outer ends of themembers.

2. In a canopy top for vehicles, in combination, a rim, a supportingframe secured to the rim and comprising intersecting frame members, acoupling member carried by said frame at the point of intersection ofits members, tie rods secured to the rim and means for securing the endsof said tie rods for axial adjustment to said coupling member.

3. In a canopy top for Vehicles, in combination, arim, a supportingframe secured to the rim and comprising intersecting frame members, astem passed through said Jframe at the point of intersection of itsmembers, a coupling member provided on the lower end of the stem, aspacing sleeve surrounding the stem between the coupling member and theframe and tie rods connecting the rim and the coupling member.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

JOHN REID. I'Vit-nesses J. J. ADDING'roN, R. L. Davis.

